Two Britons killed in southern Iraq

An injured mother sits on a hospital trolley as her daughter cries at the Abu Nafis hospital yesterday. At least five people were killed when a suicide car bomber attempted to ram a police patrol near the national theatre in the centre of Baghdad, police said. Another 25 people were wounded. PHOTO: AFP

It was not immediately known who the victims were, but another British military spokesman said "no British forces were involved in the incident".

The British embassy in Baghdad said it was aware of "an incident" that was being investigated.

"The blast occurred at about 1100 am (0700 GMT), damaging two cars in the convoy and killing two Britons, while two Iraqi children were wounded," the officer said.

Initial reports suggested the explosion took place near an oil pipeline.

US and Iraqi security forces have virtually sealed off the former rebel bastion of Fallujah, but insurgents continue to stage hit-and-run attacks in this Sunni stronghold, according to a top US marine.

"Fallujah remains fatal as insurgents continue to carry out attacks against security forces," Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph L'Etoile, commanding officer of the US marines in southern Fallujah, told AFP.

Fierce fighting between insurgents and US-led forces has killed hundreds of rebels in the flashpoint town of Fallujah, 50 kilometres west of Baghdad, where four US contractors in March 2004 were brutally murdered, their bodies burned and dragged through the streets by cheering mobs.

US forces recaptured Fallujah in November following a major offensive, but this remains "a symbolic town for insurgents and any successful attack sends a strong message across Iraq," L'Etoile said.

The attacks are largely in the form of improvised bombs, small arms fire on patrols, and the occasional throwing of grenades.

Last week, two soldiers died and one was wounded when rebels attacked anIraqi army patrol with a grenade and a bomb, L'Etoile said.

"What was significant was that insurgents exposed themselves in broad daylight and carried out the attack," he added.

L'Etoile said that despite these incidents, Fallujah was returning to normal, but he still feared outside elements could damage peace in the city.